Mustafa Alshami
Mustafa is a passionate documentary photographer from Karbala, Iraq, with over ten years of experience. He co-founded the Karbala Photography Club, training youth in photography and editing. Mustafa worked over five years with Karbala TV, documenting religious rituals and events like the October protests. He participated in local exhibitions and Cairo Photo Week. Currently, he is working on a long-term story about Alzheimer’s, focusing on his grandfather. He also worked on two documentary films, including one by the French Embassy. He lives in Baghdad.
Mustafa Alshami is a documentary photographer based in Baghdad, Iraq. Born in 1997, he focuses on telling personal and collective stories through photography, with an emphasis on memory, identity, and the passage of time. His work explores the human condition in the context of Iraq’s social and political landscape, often blending archival elements with contemporary visual narratives.
He began his career working with local media and cultural institutions, documenting religious rituals, public spaces, and the emotional fabric of daily life. One of his most notable projects is a deeply personal visual story about his grandfather’s experience with Alzheimer’s disease. The project, which combines photography with embroidery and handwritten notes, received critical recognition and was awarded a documentary photography grant in 2025.
Alshami has exhibited in both national and international platforms, including the Cairo Photo Week (2025) as part of the “Sard” exhibition, where he was the first Iraqi photographer to participate. His approach to storytelling is rooted in empathy, memory, and the subtle power of visuals to preserve what is often forgotten.
He is currently available for documentary assignments, collaborative projects, and artistic residencies, with a commitment to narratives that matter.
Cairo Photo Week – Sard IV Exhibition (2025, Cairo, Egypt)
Participated as the first Iraqi photographer in the history of the festival. Exhibited a personal documentary project about Alzheimer’s and family memory.
Supported by a documentary photography grant from Photopia & EUNIC Egypt.
Baghdad Photojournalism Exhibition (Baghdad, Iraq)
Showcased a series of images capturing the complexity of daily life and the role of press photography in Iraq.
Protest Photography Exhibition (Baghdad, Iraq)
A visual documentation of the Iraqi protest movement, highlighting the spirit of resistance, public space, and youth expression.
